It is well known that riders, especially inexperienced riders can be unexpectedly thrown from their horse. Being thrown from a horse can often cause severe injury which can be made much worse if the stirrup catches the rider's foot. The rider can often be dragged a considerable distance behind the horse until the horse can be brought to a stop. The importance of this problem is indicated by the number of devices have been suggested which release the riders foot from the stirrup when the rider inadvertently dismounts from the horse.
US Patent Publication 2008/0196363 relates to a stirrup safety structure, which is integrally formed and mainly composed of pedals and inverted U-shaped suspension locking racks. Wherein, appropriate number and shape of troughs are engraved on the pedal to limit the sticking on of mud. Moreover, a stopper ring is respectively set at the prefixed position of the lower section lying in between both ends of the suspension rack; appropriate numbers of movable pulleys are set at the lower rod between said stopper ring and pedal; said movable pulleys have the effect of free rotating. Hence, when a horse-rider falls down from the horseback, said movable pulley can enable the rider to free slip and withdraw his feet from stirrup smoothly, by means of said movable pulley's rubbing and revolving with the rider's feet and the momentum caused by the horse's running, to avoid his feet being hooked by the stirrup. Therefore the present invention can solve the problem of a horse-rider's being dragged along by the horse and get hurt when he falls down from the horseback and, therefore, becomes a simple and effective safety protection device.
US Patent Publication 2005/0011169 provides a safety stirrup (1) comprising an inverted U-shaped mounting member (2) having an adaptation (4) in the arcuate portion of the U for attachment of a stirrup strap thereto, a foot support (3) pivotally mounted between the extremities of the mounting member (2) when the stirrup is in normal use, wherein the foot support (3) comprises a tread (9) having an extension projecting upwardly from each end of the tread (9), the distal ends of which extensions join to form a loop (10). The stirrup also has co-operating engagement means (13, 14) between the foot support (3) and the inverted U-shaped mounting member (2) to retain the loop (10) of said foot support (3) in a plane generally coincident with a central plane of the inverted U-shaped mounting member (2) when the stirrup is in normal use. Rotation of the foot support (3) from the normal in use position disconnects the pivotal mountings (13, 14) and allows separation of the foot support (3) from the mounting member (2).
U.S. Pat. No. 7,526,907 provides a two-way safety stirrup that will release in the event of the rider being dismounted but which is less prone to unexpected release when pressure is applied in the forward direction. The safety stirrups are of far simpler construction than stirrups of the prior art, yet are not as prone to unexpected release and can be made of non-metal materials, such as plastics and polymers, so that the stirrups are more economically manufactured and are of comparatively light weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,506,493 provides a safety stirrup (1) comprising an inverted U-shaped mounting member (2) having an adaptation (7) in an arcuate portion (5) thereof for attachment of a stirrup strap thereto, a foot support (3) pivotally mounted between arms (4) of the mounting member (2) when the stirrup (1) is in normal use, wherein the foot support (3) comprises a tread (12) having an extension (13) projecting upwardly from each end of the tread (12), the distal ends of which extensions (13) join to form a loop (14). The stirrup (1) also has co-operating engagement means (25, 26) between the foot support (3) and the mounting member (2) to retain the loop (14) in a plane generally coincident with a central plane of the mounting member (2) when the stirrup (1) is in normal use. Rotation of the foot support (2) from the normal in use position disconnects the pivotal mountings and allows separation of the foot support (3) from the mounting member (2).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,872 provides an assist step for a stirrup associated with a saddle wherein the step is secured to or formed integrally with an outer side element of the stirrup which is pivotally mounted at a base of the stirrup such that when pivoted downwardly relative to the base, the step provides a platform for assisting a rider in mounting a saddle. The outer side element also functions as a safety breakaway portion for the stirrup to permit release of a rider's foot in the event a rider falls from the saddle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,413 relates to a safety stirrup for use with horses which prevents a rider's foot from being caught in the stirrup in the event of inadvertent dismounting of the rider. The stirrup consists of a foot support pivotably held within a mounting member. The foot support can be released at an end from the mounting member and portions of the foot support are separable so that a trapped foot can be released.
The devices described above all attempt to prevent the rider's foot from being caught in the stirrup in the event of inadvertent dismounting from the horse. Such dismounting, and especially being thrown from the horse, often results from the rider's poor posture in the stirrups. The existing devices can prevent the injuries caused by dragging, but they cannot prevent the injuries caused by being thrown from the horse in the first place. Accordingly, there is a need for a device to warn the rider of poor posture and prompt corrections so that the entire accident may be avoided and not merely mitigated once it has occurred.